That topic might sound quite strange to you. Which isn´t surprise, it is a straight translation from Finnish word "hiihtoloma". It means a holiday somewhere around February and March, and it lasts a one week. The exact week differs from each area in Finland. It´s better have the holiday different time in each area of Finland. Otherwise downhill ski-centres would be overcrowded because all Finns are enjoying holiday at the same time.

The name of the holiday is much older than me. When my father was in school in the 50´s, it was normal to go school by cross country skiing. It wasn´t just fitness, it was way to really go somewhere. Just like it´s normal to go to school with a buss or a bicycle. In a countryside there weren´t much busses around to get kids to school during past decades. Using a bike wasn´t very wise during winter when roads are slippery. By skiing kids could go to school straight through forests and fields.

Things are very different today. Many people don´t even use term "cross country skiing holiday" anymore. The same holiday is often referred as "winter holiday", talviloma. It means that people don´t go to school skiing anymore. Many people go into downhill ski-centres during winter holiday, but some people don´t do even that. Just like me. "cross country skiing holiday" begins on next friday and I´m going to go in northern Finland to meet friends and participate into a LAN party. You know, that nerd stuff huh? Bunch of geeks get themselves with computers into some place and connect computers through Local Area Network.

However, I think I go to swimm during the LAN party. There is a relatively good swimming hall in Raahe. So I can´t go through whole holiday without sport of any kind. Things changes when time goes by. I wonder what this holiday is called after another 50 years?